By Laura BennettFriday 25 Nov 2022Hope AfternoonsMoviesReading Time: 2 minutes
In case you missed the news, the Guardians of the Galaxy have a new mission this Christmas: to find a gift for their fearless leader Star Lord.
There seems to have been a notable lack of fanfare in the lead up to the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, but that’s because there are so many Marvel titles to talk about – not because it’s a dud.
Director James Gunn caps off his run with these characters in Vol. 3, but before he does, he told Entertainment Weekly he “wanted an excuse” to work with his favourite crew once more.
The Christmas feature was shot during filming for the next movie and gave everyone a break from the intensity of that process.
“To be able to take a day off and go shoot this goofy, low-stakes comedy show where nothing was really too serious, that was really a relief, and it was a lot of fun,” James said.
“I really would look forward to those holiday special days on my schedule. It’s like, ‘Oh, it’s a holiday special day today. Let’s party’.”
With a runtime of 44 minutes, Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special isn’t attempting the full feat of a Christmas movie but still taps into the nature of a season that causes us to reflect on our most important relationships.
The whole reason Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) go on a quest to Earth to get Star Lord (Chris Pratt) a gift is because they care about him having a positive Christmas experience – which they hear hasn’t always been easy – and they recognise he left a “human” life he still has memories of.
The sweetness (and sometimes sassiness) of their bond is why fans love the Guardians crew so it’s a treat to be able to experience it again in a fun way.
You can also tell this special comes from the world of big budget blockbusters because there’s no expense spared on set dressing and fairy light consumption. And nor should there be.
Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is streaming on Disney+ now.